What We Are Building
Replicate what currently happens in our mentor-led classes.
In our classes:
•
Students read a book chapter or journal article in advance
•
They come to class and discuss key ideas
•
Mentors ask questions that force students to think on their feet
•
Students are required to express and defend their understanding
ibGuru replaces this process digitally.
The Problem We Are Solving
In reality, most students:
•
Read extended materials on their own
•
Do not actively discuss what they read
•
Do not test or articulate their understanding
As a result, their learning remains passive and shallow.
Our Approach
We follow the Oxbridge tutorial model:
1.
Students read challenging material independently
2.
They are given a prompt or essay title
3.
They write a short response
4.
They are challenged to explain and defend their thinking
Extended Reading on ibGuru must recreate this process.
Content Structure
1. Summary Notes (Support Understanding)
We provide notes similar to SparkNotes.
Purpose:
•
Help students understand what the book/chapter is about
•
Clarify difficult concepts
Students should:
•
First read the original material
•
Then use our notes to reinforce understanding
2. Discussion Questions (Core to Learning)
These should reflect real mentor-style questions used in class.
Example:
•
“Why would this law not hold in reality?”
→ (e.g. transaction costs, non-durable goods, barriers to trade)
These questions should:
•
Focus on key concepts from the chapter
•
Challenge assumptions
•
Require explanation and reasoning
Priority of sources:
1.
Questions used in actual classes (from recordings)
2.
Mentor-generated questions
3.
AI-generated questions (if needed)
3. Essay Prompt (Most Important)
Following the Oxbridge system:
Students should write short essays based on the reading.
Each chapter should include:
•
1–2 essay titles or prompts
These prompts should:
•
Focus on the key idea of the chapter
•
Require evaluation, not description
•
Encourage students to form their own view
Role of Mentors
Mentors remain critical in content creation by recreating and reorganising
•
Actual discussion points from lessons
•
Refine summaries and prompts
But also, AI organise chapter specific summary notes.